Chapter 382 Critical Condition
Sarah should never have had to endure these tragic experiences. She should have always been happy, carefree, living like a little princess.
Before marriage, she had her parents' love, and after marriage, she had David's. She shouldn't have had to endure any of life's hardships.
Elizabeth covered her face with her hands, crying quietly. Her shoulders trembled as she sobbed uncontrollably.
She didn't know how to face Sarah. She felt she had wronged her. She had ruined the beautiful life Sarah was supposed to have. How could she ever make up for it?
She tugged at her hair in frustration. Despite all the knowledge she had acquired, she didn't know how to solve this problem.
Michael moved in front of her and gently hugged her. "Elizabeth, don't do this. It's not your fault. Margaret is the one who did this. Don't blame yourself."
Elizabeth buried her head in his chest, seeking comfort. "No, if she hadn't known me, she wouldn't have gone through all this. Just thinking about it breaks my heart."
Michael wiped away her tears. "So, are you going to see her?"
Elizabeth slowly lifted her head, her eyes becoming resolute. "Yes. Sarah must be in so much pain right now. Maybe she's waiting for me to visit her. I can't hide like this."
Michael looked at her encouragingly. "Go ahead. I'll be here waiting for you."
Elizabeth nodded, stood up from her wheelchair, and slowly walked towards Sarah's hospital room.
She knocked gently on the door. Wren came to open it and smiled slightly when she saw her. "Elizabeth, come in."
She turned back to the room and said, "Sarah, Elizabeth is here."
Sarah's voice came from inside. "Elizabeth!"
Hearing that voice, which felt like it came from another lifetime, Elizabeth's tears started flowing again.
She quickly walked to Sarah's bedside and sat down across from her.
Sarah's face was still pale, but she smiled at Elizabeth. "Elizabeth, it's been a few days, and you're a mom again."
Elizabeth didn't know what to say. She grabbed Sarah's hand. "Sarah, it's all my fault. I'm so sorry."
She bowed her head deeply.
Sarah held her head and lifted it up.
She wiped the tears from Elizabeth's face. "Elizabeth, don't be like this. I've come to terms with it. So what if I can't have children? Your kids will be my kids too. Pearl, Nolan, and now Francis, they're all my kids. How about that?"
Elizabeth looked at her through tears and nodded repeatedly. "Of course. They'd love to call you 'Mom.' They'll have two moms to love them. They'll be so happy."
Sarah looked at Elizabeth. "Elizabeth, we've always been best friends, right?"
Elizabeth nodded. "Of course."
Sarah held her hand. "In the past, now, and in the future, we'll always be best friends. That will never change. The harm done to me can't be undone, but it's not your fault. Even if I had another chance to choose, back in college, I would still have taken your hand and asked you to go to the library with me."
"Elizabeth, if I hadn't gone through this, Margaret would have taken it all out on you. Then, wouldn't I be just as heartbroken for you? Elizabeth, don't dwell on it. The one who hurt me is Margaret, not you."
Elizabeth couldn't stop her tears.
Wren quietly shed tears beside her.
Sarah wiped Elizabeth's tears and said, "Alright, I heard that new moms shouldn't cry, or their eyes will hurt later. Have you seen Francis? He was born early, so he's in the NICU, right?"
Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah, Michael went to see him. The nurses are taking care of him. Family visits aren't allowed."
Sarah asked, "Do you have any pictures? I'd love to see what Francis looks like."
Elizabeth immediately took out her phone. "Yeah, Michael sent me some."
She opened the photo album and showed Sarah pictures of Francis. "He's so tiny and a bit ugly."
Sarah playfully hit her. "Come on, you can't call your baby ugly! He'll grow up to be a handsome man!"
As she looked at the pictures, she said softly, "Elizabeth, I've talked to my parents. I'm going abroad to study business management."
Elizabeth was a bit surprised but quickly understood. "You've decided to take over your family's company?"
Sarah nodded and smiled bitterly. "I originally planned to have David co-manage the Martinez Group with me so I wouldn't have to worry about anything. But now, it looks like I can't afford to be lazy."
Elizabeth looked at her, her heart filled with sorrow. Her best friend, who she had hurt, now had to face the harsh realities of the world.
She tried to hold back her tears and looked at Sarah. "You don't like studying. Won't it be tiring?"
Sarah smiled bitterly. "I used to think that no matter what happened, my parents would always have my back."
"But now, things are different. My parents will grow old. I have to grow up. I'll work hard to make them proud, to become their support. I won't be willful anymore."
Elizabeth nodded. Sarah had grown up. But the cost of that growth was so painful! She would rather her friend remain carefree, never having to think about such things.
But she knew that was impossible.
There was no going back. They had to move forward.
Sarah urged her. "Elizabeth, I'm fine. I'll be out of the hospital soon. You should go back and check on Francis."
Elizabeth stood up. "Take care and call me often."
Sarah waved her hand. "I will. Go on."
Elizabeth left the room, and Michael quickly came over to help her, guiding her to sit in the wheelchair.
Her surgical wound hadn't fully healed yet.
He draped his suit jacket over her shoulders and wheeled her back to the maternity ward.
A doctor came over to inform her that she could be discharged.
Elizabeth grabbed Michael's sleeve. "I want to check on Francis."
Michael handed the discharge paperwork over to Daniel. He then took Elizabeth to the neonatal intensive care unit.
In the monitoring room, Elizabeth stared intently at the screen showing her tiny baby.
Francis lay in the incubator, under blue light therapy.
Elizabeth asked the nearby doctor, "Is my son's jaundice level very high?"
The on-duty doctor gave her a number, and as a medical graduate, Elizabeth immediately understood. Francis' jaundice level was extremely high.
Even blue light therapy might not be enough to treat his jaundice.
The doctor told her that Francis was showing some dangerous symptoms and there was a possibility of developing kernicterus.
Elizabeth's face turned pale.
Michael supported her and asked the doctor, "What does that mean?"
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